The Flat Tops Wilderness has been on our master travel planning Google Map for well over five years now, and now we don’t know why we didn’t make it here sooner!
The Flat Tops is a unique feature in Colorado, with mountains with, well, flat tops. With over 100 lakes and an average elevation of 10,000 feet, it’s a great way to find cooler temperatures and enjoy the summer.
There are several camping areas within the area, we chose the Stillwater area (named for the Stillwater Reservoir) due to it being the trailhead for the Devils Causeway (the #1 hike in the Flat Tops) and Flat Top Mountain (the highest point in the Wilderness area at 12,354 feet).
After driving the 10 miles of bumpy gravel road in, and then looking through the two campgrounds that we had interest in, we decided that boondocking in one of the marked spots outside the campgrounds was our best bet due to the other campers already present. Nothing like searching for peace and quiet and having the guys next to you fire up a generator so they can watch TV!
We lucked out with a gorgeous spot overlooking the Bear River, and a perfect view of Flat Top Mountain. Add in daily visits by woodland creatures like snowshoe hares, a yellow-bellied marmot, multiple chipmunks and two stray horses that escaped from a group down the hill, and the spot couldn’t be better.
With clear sunlight from sunrise to sunset, we were able to keep laptops, kindles, phones, and camera charged, and with prudent monitoring of the solar output we were able to switch the refrigerator to run off of solar all day long, switching it back to propane at night. Jackpot! On our final morning the smoke from several Colorado wildfires diminished the sun somewhat, but we didn’t need the output as we were leaving and it made for a beautiful morning view.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Pod
There’s a Pod in here somewhere!
Down the Valley
Not a bad view out your front porch every day!
Peek-A-Boo
The flowers at our campsite are just amazing
The Five
Beautiful backlit Showy Goldeneyes.
Smith Lake
One of the beautiful little lakes a short walk out of our campsite.
Pod Spot
Can you spot the Pod? Hint – upper right hand corner!
Storm Downrange
Watching a storm move down the valley.
Crazy Clouds
We had daily storms blow through, hail, heavy rain, and high winds.
After the Storm
An hour after the crazy storm, things are back to beautiful with high wispy clouds.
Columbine
Colorado’s state flower, a Colorado Blue Columbine.
Wuuuuut
A yellow-bellied marmot pokes his head out of the flowers next to our chairs.
Just Visiting
Alan (from Alan, Alan, Alan of BBC Youtube fame) wanted to hang around and eat the tasty flowers.
The Predator
This reminds me of the Predator.
Flat Tops Wilderness
You can see why it’s called the Flat Tops…
Field of Flowers
Colette loved hiking through all of the fields of wildflowers.
Morning Fire
Smoke haze from several wildfires obscures the morning sun.
Tasty Tasty
Getting down close to the ground to get the tender green parts.
Mmmm Clover
This is why there’s no clover left in the mountains!
Here Bunny Bunny
A baby bunny no larger than my outstretched hand hides among the flora around our campsite.
And Here’s Alan Alan Alan
I couldn’t mention Alan Alan Alan without including him here
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